Isla Mujeres, Q.R. — Government officials have determined that the death of 45 newly hatched sea turtles was atypical. The turtles hatched on an Isla Mujeres beach in July and subsequently died shortly afterward.
On Monday, the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) ruled out negligence in the death of the 45 sea turtle hatchlings at a turtle camp in Isla Mujeres. According to the agency, an atypical daytime hatching in high temperatures caused their deaths.
José Luis Funes Izaguirre, head of Quintana Roo Profepa, reported the agency carried out an inspection July 24 that lasted approximately 15 hours and included three corrals.
He said since the turtles hatched during the day and not at night, which is most common, they were exposed to the high temperatures that could have caused heat stroke and subsequently their deaths.
Funes Izaguirre stated that the evidence obtained during the investigation was not a consequence of recurring omissions, negligence on the part of any authority, or repeated carelessness in the management of the camp.
On July 22, 45 newly hatched sea turtles were found dead on an Isla Mujeres beach. The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) initiated an administrative procedure against the Isla Mujeres City Council, following their deaths in one of the corrals of the turtle camp near Media Luna Beach.
Inspectors from the Quintana Roo delegation conducted an inspection visit to the three corrals of the camp that began on July 24 and lasted until July 25.
During the inspection, two inspectors from the agency checked the enclosures, nests, eggs and hatchlings, as well as documenting the conditions in which the baby turtles were found.
José Luis Funes Izaguirre indicated that as part of the procedure, the City Council was summoned to present the corresponding documents, permits and explanations regarding the management of the camp and the circumstances in which the death of the 45 turtles occurred.
According to Profepa findings, the deaths were not deliberately caused and the main hypothesis is exposure to high temperatures after daytime hatching.
